Casting calls for 'Breakfast at Tiffany's' cat didn't go lightly

Thursday

Mar 7, 2013 at 12:01 AMMar 7, 2013 at 11:49 AM

NEW YORK - Four days before previews, the cast and crew of the new Broadway version of Breakfast at Tiffany's were putting final touches on the show. But, on the last day of February, one gaping hole remained: casting the role of Holly Golightly's cat.

NEW YORK — Four days before previews, the cast and crew of the new Broadway version of Breakfast at Tiffany’s were putting final touches on the show.

But, on the last day of February, one gaping hole remained: casting the role of Holly Golightly’s cat.

The role requires an animal that can handle lights, microphones and an audience, as well as cross the stage, sit, stay and exit on cue.

In short: It requires a dog.

But even trained animals still react like, well, animals. Trainer Bill Berloni remembers when a family in the front rows of Legally Blonde: The Musical brought a bucket of chicken, and the Chihuahua he had cast abandoned its role to hover at the edge of the stage.

Although dogs have been bred to please humans, cats don’t train as well, Berloni said.